Chapter Twenty Kingston #2
"Well, there were thirteen original colonies," I say, grinning at her. "Some of them were New York, New Jersey, North Carolina, Massachusetts."
"Fine," she says, holding up her hand. "You are a smarty-pants. I get it. I wish you would use your brains for good and not evil." She grins.
"Hey, it's not like I'm a dictator or a tyrant running a country. I'm just representing my clients."
"I know," she says. "I'm just teasing you, but you do have to admit it does seem wrong that the bank is suing these poor people."
"I will say that it is unfortunate that they signed a contract stating that they would repay money without taking possession of the collateral first." I nod.
"Maybe you should run for President of the United States because that was such a non-answer it's not even funny."
"Oh, I have no interest in politics," I say. "Though, I do care about the laws passed, of course."
"I would ask you how many justices are in the Supreme Court, but I guess you already know."
"Nine, and the Chief Justice is John Roberts." I grin at her.
"And the Chief Justice is John Roberts," she says in a mocking tone. "Man, maybe I should be on your trivia team. I feel like we'd win."
"Maybe," I say. "So, what is it that you want to do with your life?" I ask her as we continue going through the folders.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you told me that you want to travel around the world and you want to meet the love of your life and write a book about your adventures, but what then?"
She blinks at me. "I don't understand what you're saying."
"I mean, are you planning on being a nomad for your entire life or…?"
She stares at me, realization lighting up her eyes.
"No, not my entire life. I know I don't want to be a nomad.
I guess I never thought past the traveling around the world.
" She licks her lips. "That's actually a really great question.
Maybe I'll get married and have kids and become a yoga teacher. "
"Oh, so you're saying you're flexible, are you?"
"I know some downward dog." She shakes her ass.
"You want to teach me some yoga?"
She stares at me for a couple of seconds and twitches her nose again.
"What is it? Tell me."
"I've only been to two yoga classes," she admits.
"How are you going to teach yoga if you've only been to two yoga classes?"
"I don't know. Maybe when I go to India, I'll learn under a yogi and then become a teacher. Or, you know, I could teach Zumba. I did ten Zumba classes five years ago, and I love Zumba. I thought I was quite good."
"Okay, so a yoga and a Zumba teacher." She has to know how silly she sounds right now.
"I know. I sound like I'm all over the place, don't I?"
"It's okay. You've got your entire life to figure out what you want to do."
"I guess that's true. What about you? Do you plan on being an attorney for the rest of your life?"
"It's what I was made to do, be an attorney and make lots of money."
"And how much money do you need before you want to do something else?" she asks. "What's the ultimate goal? What do you want to buy with all that money?"
She's hit upon something that has been in the back of my mind for a long time. What is the pinnacle of my success to be?
"I don't know," I say. "I guess I have just always wanted to be a top attorney making a lot of money."
"You don't do girlfriends or commitment unless you're planning on getting married at fifty and then popping out some kids later in life."
"I can honestly say I've never thought about getting married. And the kids?" I shrug. "Take them or leave them. It's not been a life goal of mine."
"Let me see if I have this right, your life goal is just to make money and win cases for crappy-ass banks and other corporations that don't give a shit about the people?"
"Well, I don't want to say they don't give a shit about the people. They did put out their money, right, to help them purchase cars and to help them buy things. Should they really have to take the loss?"
"I guess that's a gray area."
"It is, and a judge will decide," I say. "I'm not the final decision maker here. I just represent my client, which is the bank. Those customers will have attorneys. Maybe they'll argue a good case, and they'll beat us."
"You don't want them to beat you, though, do you?"
"I very rarely lose cases, Skye," I tell her.
"Hmm, I think you very rarely lose anything," she murmurs.
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"I mean, I bet you any woman you set your eyes on that you want, you get her."
"I don't know. I guess I've never thought about it." I shrug.
"You're one of those winners in life, aren't you, Kingston Chase? You're smart, you're handsome, you're rich. It seems to me that everything you want, you have. So what else do you want?"
You pops into my mind, and I shake my head imperceptibly before dismissing the thought. I have no idea where it came from.
"I think I would like to have some cheese and crackers," I say and stand. "Would you like some?"
"Yeah. What cheese do you have?" she asks.
"I believe I have some brie, some Gouda, some cheddar, some goat's cheese."
"Wow. You're a connoisseur of cheeses."
"I wouldn't say that, exactly, but I do like a little cheese and cracker snack often. I may also have some meats. Some chorizo, prosciutto, and probably some salami."
She rubs her belly. "You're making me hungry."
"Well, it looks like we have a long night ahead of us."
"Yeah," she says. "I guess so."